Empennage and plane arrangement



July 10, 1928. 1,677,069

w. H. BARLING EMPENNAGE AND PLANE ARRANGEMENT Filed June 2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WHLTEE H. fif/EL/NG ATTO July "K1928. 1,677,069

. w.'- H. BARLING EHPENNAGE AND PLANE ARRANGEMENT Eil'ed June 2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WflLTlE H- @meL/Na ATTO E'Y Patented July 10, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENTO-FFICE.

WALTER H. BARLING, OF ASTORIA, NEW YORK.

EMPFNNAGE AN D PLANE ARRANGEMENT.

Application filed June'2, 1925. Serial No. 34,403.

'lar to the conventional type and a pair of outboard stabilizer adjustments operatlng in conjunction therewith, whereby the loads imposed on the adjustments areequally distributed, and uniform incidence is main-- tained.

Another object of the invention relates to the provision of a novel arrangement of a pair of stabilizers with associated elevators and rudders, designed to give the'most efficient aerodynamic control in all conditions of adjustment of said stabilizers.

Other objects having reference to details of construction will be brought out in the course of the following description in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings, where 1 Fig. 1 is a rear view of an empennage embodying'my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1 showing clearly the manner of application of the stabilizer adjustment.

Fig. 3 is a detail view on an enlarged scale artly in section and partly in elevation s owing the construction of the stabilizer adjustment.

Throughout the views the same reference numerals are applied to correspondingparts.

In large bombing planes or transport ships, an unusual amount of tail surface is required and an eflicient. means of adjustment of the stabilizers is necessa because of the variation and varying location of the loads carried. In bombers for instance, the shi with its full assignment of bombs tends to be nose heavy and proper setting of the stabilizers is nry to ofiset this. Fur ther adjustment of the stabilizers is required after the dropping of. the bombs, at which tiipe the ship becomes tail heavy. In ships 0 the size herein contemplated, a single stabilizer adjustment at the middle of the tail surface 1s not suflicient and the reason for this will be apparent when it is considered that in certain ships the tail surfaces may assume proportions equal to the average-wing surfaces of ordinary airplanes. I have therefore provided, in conjunction with a central stabilizer adjustment, two outboard stabilizer adjustments operating in synchro nism therewith, so that the total aerodynamic load is equally distributed between the three adjustments, and perfect uniformity of ac-' tion is secured. I have also provided a novel construction in the empennage whereby in all conditions of adjustment of the stabilizers, the same are maintained in ri id relation to each other and in proper relation to the elevators and rudders so that ideal aero"- dynamic control is secured at all times.

Referring to the drawing, the fuselage 10, which in the present instance is of the monocoque type as indicated in Fig. 1, has tubes 11 extending laterally therefrom preferably continuous the length of the uppee:

and lower stabilizers 12 and 13. The tu serve as pivotal supports for the stabilizers near the leading edges thereof. Struts 14 maintain the leading edges of the stabilizers in proper vertically spaced relation. The struts are joined to spars or ribs 15 in the upper and lower stabilizers, which in turn are secured to the transverse tubes 11 as by straps 16, or in any other suitable manner. The upper stabilizer 12 is suitably braced from the fuselage as indicatedat 17. The trailing edges of the stabilizers are vertically spaced by struts 18 which, similar to the strutsl, permit of relative pivotal movement of the stabilizers witlrrespect thereto. From the description thus far advanced, it will be seen that the stabilizers 12 and 13 .together'with the struts Hand 18 form a parallelogram of which the side formed by the struts 14 is relatively fixed, an action similar to a pantogra h action being rmitted by movement 0 the three other sides of the parallelogram formed. The trailing edges of the stabilizers are capable of being raised or lowered b in the form of rigi but extensible or contractible incidence members 19, the details of which will be hereinafter more fully set forth. The incidence members 19. are arwithin vertical fins 20 disposed fore and aft between'the stabilizers 12 and 13.

In the drawing, for the purpose of illustration, the stabilizer adjustments rovided b the incidence members 19 are s own in elevation with the vertical fins removed means of connections only the intermediate vertical fins being illustrated which do not enclose stabilizer ad 'ustments.

'lhe struts 18 provide vertical pivotal mounts for the rudders 21, four of which are provided, one for each of the vertical fins 20 at the trailing edges thereof. The trailing edges of the stabilizers 12 and 13 provide pivotal supports for the elevators 22.- These are joined together by links 23 for simultaneous operation. grees of incidence of the stabilizers they remain in the same relation to the rudders 21 and the elevators 22, so that the same control characteristics obtain at all times.

A central stabilizer adjustment is provided in the fuselage 10 at 24. Structurally it is practically the same as the adjustments at 19 but is connected with the stabilizers in a difierent manner, as will appear hereinafter. It is of substantially conventional form and comprises a threaded stem 25 o crating in a nut inside the tube 26 which has connection in any conventional or suitable manner with the lower stabilizer 13. A bearing is provided for the tube26 at 27 and for the stem 25 at 28 within the fuselage 10. The stem 25 has a pulley 29 fixed thereon, which is arranged to be turned in the usual manner by a cable 30 o erating over pulleys 31 and32 inside the uselage, and extending forwardly to -the pilots compartment, where a suitable hand wheel, or other means to serve the same pur pose, is provided. In ships having only a single central stabilizer of the usual proportions, it is customary to provide a single central stabilizer adjustment similar to that described, operating between the fuselage and one edge, usually the leading edge, of the stabilizer. In ships of the character herein contemplated, a single stabilizer adjustment is insufiicient, due to the large proportions of the stabilizers and to the fat that two or more are provided to secure the proper aerodynamic control. The stabilizer adjustment therefore includes two outboard adjustments 19 above referred to which operate in conjunction therewith and also have cables 30- operating over pulleys mounted inside the fuselage 10 and extending for operation from a common source. The three sets of cables are conveniently attached in two sets of three wires each to two clevises, which in turn are operated b a single cable connected with the hand w eel above referred to. Any other suitable connection for operating the cables simultaneousl may be used.

T e adjustments provided by the incidene'e members 19 are similar in construction to the center adjustment 24 above described with the exception that the tube 26' used in this case extends diagonally between the upper end of the aft strut 18 and It will be seen that in all de-' the lower end of the fore strut 14, a pivotal connection being provided with the strut 18 as indicated at 33. The threaded stem 25' having pulley 29 rigidly fixed thereon, is threaded in a nut 34 riveted to a sleeve 35 which in turn is riveted to the wall of the tube 19. The turning of the stem 25' by the drum 29' when a pull in either direction is communicated to the cable 30, produces an extension or contraction of the incidence member at each end of the stabilizers, and thus moves apart or draws together the diagonal corners of the parallelogram formed by the stabilizers 12 and 13 and the fore and aft struts 14 and 18 in an apparent manner. A rotary support for the stem 25' is provided by its threaded connection with a screw 36 having a clevis end 37 pivoted at 38 to the lower end of the strut 14. Aside from the fact that a simple form of rotary bearing is thus provided, a compound movement is communicated to the tube 26' in the turning of the stem 25' since the latter threads in the nut 34 and is in turn threaded on the screw 36.

The cable 30 has several turns wound upon the periphery of the drum 29 in the continuous helical groove 39 thereon. Plates 40 riding in the groove 39 at opposite sides of the cable 30 are connected b a plate 41 riveted to lugs 42 extending rom the plates 40. The lugs 42 are provided with eyelets 43 through which the cable entering upon and leaving the drum 29 passes. It will be seen that a pull communicated to either end of the cable 30 will result in a turning of the drum 29' and a threading of the plates 40 in a fixed relation back or forth on the drum 29' depending upon which way the drum is turned. .This is due to the fact that the plates 40 are held from turning with the drum, since the cable 30 passes through the eyelets on these plates. The plates thus serve as guides for properly setting the cable in the helical grooves, inasmuch as the lates are advanced in either direction as t e laps of the cable are fed OK at one side and on at the other side in the turning of the drum. The cable 30 has its mid portion looped under a screw 44 in the drum 29 so as to avoid slippage of'the cable on the drum. This provision is made on all three adjustments so that each of the adjustments is ositively fixed in proper relation to the ot ers and all operate together uniformly and the total aerodynamic load is equally distributed.

While I have shown my invention as applied to the stabilizing planes, of aircraft,

am aware that it is susceptible of use in controlling the angle of incidence of sustaining planes and controllin planes of various description a plied to aircraft either heavier or lighter than air. I do not intend to be limited to the construction chosen for purposes of illustration but define my invention in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an aircraft, the combination of a pair of surfaces spaced vertically, a strut there-between, one of said surfaces being pivotally connected at said strut, and a diagonally disposed rigid but extensible and contractible incidence member connected between said surface and the other surface.

2. In an aircraft, the combination of a pair of parallel surfaces spaced vertically, and means to raise and lower the one edge of one of said surfaces comprising a rigid but extensible and contractible incidence member disposed fore and aft in adiagonal position between said surfaces.

3. In an airplane, the combination of a pair of surfaces spaced vertically, struts fore and aft therebetween, pivotal connections between said struts and said surfaces providing for pivotal movement together of both surfaces, one of said struts beingv mounted on a fixed support, and means to raise and lower the one edge of said surfaces,

comprising a rigid but extensible and contractihle incidence member disposed fore and aft in a diagonal position between the strut having a fixed support and the movable strut.

l. In an airpiane, the combination of a pair of main surfaces spaced vertically, struts for and aft therebetween, said struts having pivotal connection With said surfaces to provide for pivotal movement together of both surfaces, a fixed support for the fore strut, means to raise and lower the trailing edges of said surfaces, comprising a rigid but extensible and contractible incidence member disposed fore and aft in a diagonal position between said struts and auxiliary trailing surfaces pivoted to said main sur faces and connected to operate together.

5. In an airplane empennage, the combination of a pair of stabilizer surfaces spaced vertically, for and aft struts therebetween, pivotal connections between said struts and said stabilizers providing for pivotal movement together of said stabilizers, a fixed support for the fore struts, a rigid operat ing connection between said fore and aft struts from the top of one to the bottom of the other, rudders pivoted to the aft struts, and elevators pivoted to the trailing edge of said stabilizers.

6. In an airplane empennage, the combination of a pair of stabilizer surfaces spaced vertically, fore and aft struts therebetween,

vertical fins between said stabilizers at said struts, a fixed support for said fins and for the fore struts, said fore and aft struts having pivotal connections with said sta-bi lizers to provide for pivotal movement together of said stabilizers, a. rigid operating connection extendingdiagonally between the fore and aft struts to raise and lower the trailing edges of said stabilizers, interconnected elevators pivoted to the trailing edges of said stabilizers, and rudders pivoted to the aft struts at the trailing edges of said vertical fins.

7. In an airplane empennage, the combination with a fuselage tail portion of a pair of transverse tail surfaces pivoted at their leading edges, vertical for and aft struts, interconnecting said surfaces and pivoted thereto to provide for pivotal movement'together of said surfaces, a middle vertically extending operating connection between the fuselage and one of said surfaces to raise and lower the trailing edges. of said surfaces, and a pair of laterally disposed diagonally extending operating connections between the fore and aft struts operating simultaneously with the middle operating connection to raise and lower the trailing edges of said surfaces.

8. In an airplane empennage, the combination with a fuselage tail portion of a pair of transverse tail surfaces pivoted at their leading edges, vertical fore and aft struts interconnecting.) said surfaces and pivoted thereto to provide for pivotal movement to gether of said surfaces, a middle operating connection and a pair of laterally disposed diagonally extending operating connections between the fore and aft struts operating simultaneously with the middle operating connection to raise and lower the trailing edges of said surfaces.

9. In an airplane empennage, the combination with a fuselage tail portion of a pair of transverse tail surfaces pivoted at their leading edges, vertical fore and aft struts interconnecting said surfaces and pivoted thereto to provide for pivotal movement together of said surfaces, a middle operating connection and a pair of laterally disposed diagonally extending operating connections between the fore and aft struts operating simultaneously with the middle operating connection to raise and lower the trailing edges of said surfaces, interconnected elevators pivoted to the trailing edges of said surfaces, rudders pivoted to the aft struts, and vertical fins extending between said fore and aft struts in front of said rudders.

10. In an airplane empennage, the combination with a fuselage tail portion of a pair of transverse tail surfaces pivoted at their leading edges, vertical fore and aft struts interconnecting said surfaces and pivoted thereto to provide for pivotal movement together of said surfaces, interconnected elevators pivoted to the trailing edges of said surfaces, rudders pivoted to the aft struts, and vertical fins extending between said fore and aft struts in front of said rudder.

11. In an airplane empennage, the combiion pair of vertically spaced stabilizing surfaces, vertical fore and aft struts between said surfaces and pivotally connected therewith to provide for pivotal movement together of said surfaces, a fixed support on the fuselage for the fore struts, a middle vert'cally extending operating connection between one of said surfaces and the fuselage, said conncction including a pulley and a cable operating thereon, and a pair of laterally disposed operating connections extending diagonally between the fore and aft struts and operable simultaneously with the middle operating connection to raise and lower the trailing edge of said stabilizing surfaces, safd connections also including pulleys and cables operating thcl'cover disposed adjacent to the fore struts.

12. In an airplane, the combination with an operating connection for a control surface, including a threaded stem, a tube having a-nut therein to receive said stem, and a pulley fixed to sa'id stem for turning the same, of a cable having a plurality of turns on said pulley, the periphery of said pulley having a continuous helical groove to receive said cable, a pair of guides on opposite sides of the cable on said pulley and operating in the helical groove thereon, a connection between said guides and eyelets on each of said guides through which the cable entering upon and leaving the pulley is arranged to pass.

' 13. In an airplane, the comb'nation with an operating connection for a control surface, including a threaded stem, a tube having a nut therein to receive said stem, and

a pulley fixed to said stem for turning the same, of a cable having a plurality of turns on said pulley, the periphery of said pulley having a continuous helical groove to receive said cable, a pair of guides on opposite sides of the cable on said pulley and operating in the helical groove thereon, a connection between said guides, eyelets on each of said guides through which the cable entering upon and leaving the pulley is arranged to pass, and means for gripping the middle portion of the length of the cable passing about said pulley whereby to prevent slippage to said pulley.

14. In an aircraft, a main central body, a pair of transverse surfaces pivoted at their leading edges, vertical fore and aft struts interconnecting said surfaces and pivoted thereto to provide for pivotal movement together of sa d surfaces, :1 middle vertically extending operating connection between the body and one'of said surfaces to raise and lower the trailing edges of said surfaces, and a pair of laterally disposed diagonally extending operating connections between the fore and aft struts operat'ng simultaneously with the middle operating connection to raise and lower the trailing edges of said surfaces.

15. In an aircraft. the combination as set forth in claim 3, there being a pluralty of said incidence members in a laterally disposed series, and means for simultaneously operating all the members of said series.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WALTER H. BARLING. 

